On this day in 1975 Chad Moeller was born in Upland, California. He went to USC before the Twins selected him in the seventh round (187th overall pick) in the 1996 draft. The Brewers became his third major league team when they acquired him as part of the nine player deal that sent Richie Sexson to Arizona in December of 2003.
Moeller caught 101 games for the Brewers in his first year in Milwaukee and set a new bar for offensive ineptitude. Over three seasons with the Brewers he hit just .204/.257/.319 in 196 games.
Fortunately, though, Moeller has another claim to fame: On April 27, 2004 he became just the fifth Brewer ever to hit for the cycle, and easily the most unlikely. His four hits that day represented a full 6% of his season total, and the triple was one of just seven he's hit in eleven major league seasons.
Moeller became a free agent following the 2006 season and played four more years in the majors as a member of four teams. His last appearance in the big leagues came in 2010 with the Yankees. He was in camp with the Rockies but didn't make the team last spring.
Moeller turns 37 today. With help from the B-Ref Play Index, we'd also like to wish a happy birthday to:
- 1989 Brewer LaVel Freeman, who turns 49.
- 1972 Brewer Syd O'Brien, who turns 68.